Book Description

Texas Rules of Evidence Manual provides an updated comprehensive reference to Texas evidence for both civil and criminal cases. The book provides a rule-by-rule analysis of each Rule of Evidence. This sturdy hard-cover text is designed for heavy use in the courtroom. This text helps those who are bound to use the Texas Rules of Evidence, whether it is the bench or the bar or those studying evidence. While the text contains some academic discussions, the book is designed to explain what a particular Rule requires or prohibits, to indicate what the appellate courts have said about the Rules, and to offer some practical pointers on using the Rules. The book itself has been designed to make it as useful as possible to the harried judge, counsel, and student who must quickly find the "law." Following each Rule is an editorial commentary on the Rule explaining how the Rule works, what the Texas courts have said about the Rule, and how it compares with the Federal Rule, because Texas courts often review federal precedent where they find it helpful in applying a Texas Rule. When appropriate, practical pointers are also provided on how to use the Rule. Where the Rules apply in the same fashion for both civil and criminal cases, those points are discussed together. On the other hand, where they diverge, the authors have used separate headings for "Civil" and "Criminal" when that seems appropriate. One of the objectives of the Editorial Analysis in this text is to deal with the interrelationships of the various Rules. The authors have noted those areas where the Rules differ from pre-Rules case law or statutory provisions. Some of the Rules changed the prior Texas evidence law and, althoughmany of the Texas Rules agree with the Federal Rules, a number differ significantly.